UK net migration falls by almost 25 percent post Brexit

Net migration to the U.K. fell to 246,000 in the year ending March 2017, down from 327,000 the year before, according a new report by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) published Thursday.

The report stated that the decrease — amounting to 81,000 people — is largely due to EU citizens, particularly from Eastern Europe, leaving the U.K.

The number of international students coming to study in the U.K. also dropped to 139,000 — 27,000 fewer than last year — in a continued trend as the U.K. has tightened visa restrictions on non-EU students in recent years.

The results “indicate that the EU referendum result may be influencing people’s decision to migrate into and out of the U.K., particularly EU and EU8 citizens,” said Nicola White, head of ONS international migration statistics.

Jonathan Portes, a senior fellow at think tank The UK in a Changing Europe, said in a statement: “Brexit is having a significant impact on migration flows, even before we have left the EU or any changes are made to law or policy.

“EU nationals, both those already here and those considering a move to the U.K., are understandably concerned about their future status in the U.K.”

The pro-business Institute of Directors issued a statement saying the decrease in net migration “should not be celebrated.”

The British Home Office also on Thursday announced the launch of a study to evaluate the social and economic impact of international students in the U.K.

“There is no limit to the number of genuine international students who can come to the U.K. to study,” Home Secretary Amber Rudd said in the announcement.

The Conservative Party has long promised to bring net migration down to below 100,000 per year, but has struggled to do so since it came to power in 2010.

The EU has called on Britain during the Brexit negotiations — set to resume next week — to ensure the status of approximately 3 million EU citizens currently living in the U.K.

“Tory migration policy is a shambles,” said Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott. “Against all advice, Theresa May continues to insist in maintaining an arbitrary net migration target of under 100,000, which has never once been met.”

Referring to the Home Office’s assessment of the impact of international students, Abbott said: “Some in government appear to be waking up to the idea that overseas students make a valuable contribution to our country.”

chrish

May be influenced by the fact that for the first time since the credit crisis some of them will be able to get jobs in their home countries as the Eurozone begins to move out of recession towards a sustainable recovery.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 1:12 PM CEST

FierEuropeen

I hate the term emigrants being applied to the EU citizens, only the English could so derogatory call the others fellow EU citizens emigrants and even refugees. Shameful!
These EU citizens are very hard working people that are immensely contributing to the wealthiness of the UK. These EU citizens should immediately turn their backs to this so ungrateful and xenophobic little england. IMO the EU should even help them to reestablished their lives in the EU member states.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 1:41 PM CEST

cinceur

@Fier

I know you won’t reply because you’re a coward with nothing worthwhile to say, but here in Spain, all foreign nationals (inc EU nationals) need to sign up for a N.I.E. before they can work, rent an apartment, qualify for healthcare / social security, or even email the police…

N.I.E. = Número de identidad de extranjero

Or Foreigner Identity Number / Identity Number of the Foreigner.

Any thoughts on that? Or any thoughts…..in general?

Posted on 8/24/17 | 1:51 PM CEST

cinceur

Emigrant

noun
noun: emigrant;
plural noun: emigrants

a person who leaves their own country in order to settle permanently in another.

Try harder, loser.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 1:53 PM CEST

Toco

“a person who leaves their own country in order to settle permanently in another.”

“permanently…”

“PERMANENTLY”

The majority leave after a few years, hence they are not emigrants. They work here temporarily then go back to their home country with better skills, better English and better networks.

Hence not permanently…Hence not emigrants.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:03 PM CEST

Francis

@Toco
A new level of pettiness

@FierEuropean
A normal level of pettiness for you, try harder.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:14 PM CEST

cinceur

@Toco

That would be ‘immigrant’. You don’t need to take my word for it, Google it, let us know the results. You can copy and paste it if you like, I’ll wait.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:15 PM CEST

cinceur

I implore anyone else who may be interested in the above semantics lesson to Google it themselves. I copied the definition in directly.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:17 PM CEST

Claire

@Toco

‘permanently’ doesn’t necessarily mean for eternity in this context. We can have a change of mind you know! Emigrant is a perfectly normal word that is not an insult in any way. Get a grip.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:19 PM CEST

DanTheMan

😀 Emigrant is an insult now? Is it a slow news day kiddies?

Rage on.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:26 PM CEST

YellowSubmarine

Well we were told there would be an exodus, as UK voted for brexit and turned inward to become a Little England.

But these numbers show how far away from the truth those predictions were. UK Immigration in March was 588k, I though there would be no one wanting to come ? and all those here would leave.

As @chrish points out there will be economic migrants who can move back home and work closer to their families, now most of the EU has finally dragged itself out of recession.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 2:28 PM CEST

Chris

For many leave voters such as myself, immigration wasn’t the issue. It was the direction that the EU had set itself on following the politically-motivated, but economically inept introduction of the Euro.
That being said, I was expecting migration from other EU countries to fall. Not because the UK is xenophobic (actually we are welcoming to immigrants from many different cultures), but because the majority of migrants are economic migrants. The clue is in the name. The relative wages (in Euros) of UK workers relative to other EU states has fallen since the pound has devalued vs the Euro. Two years ago there were over 1.40 Euros to the pound now it is less than 1.10. What surprises me is why more EU citizens have not stayed away; maybe they really do like warm beer and hot-cross buns ?

Posted on 8/24/17 | 3:28 PM CEST

Gloria

This is a positive start to lowering immigration from all sources. I in no way feel any different between immigration from inside or outside the EU. It is a simple numbers game and for such a small nation with a dated infrastructure we simply cannot absorb this number of people without putting strain on people living here.

It would be good to at least half that number again for a decade or so for our housing, health care and infrastructure to catch up. Then I am very happy for us to increase immigration levels again. And yes to an earlier comment, we are very welcoming as a nation I hope that continues but we need time to make changes.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 8:09 PM CEST

wow

The International students are a different thing alogether as shown in more reptauble news outlets and the report publishers themselves it is due to a governemnt policy :

‘It has already banned more than 900 colleges from bringing in international students as part of a crackdown on “immigration abuse from poor quality institutions that were damaging the UK’s reputation as a provider of world-leading education. Amber Rudd said “genuine international students” would still be welcomed, emphasising that the UK was the world’s second most popular destination for study.’ (source: The Independent – today).

Typical sloppy over-emotional Politico reporting.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 8:25 PM CEST

wow

*plus my typical rushed spelling 😉

Posted on 8/24/17 | 8:26 PM CEST

Feet

Toco: Get over yourself, you self flattering tosh! My home country is much more advanced and modern than the UK (and has a much stronger economy!). I’m (and many others) are here because we possess advanced skills! Will soon be leaving though, as UK proved quite underwhelming and I feel that I’m missing out…

Posted on 8/24/17 | 8:30 PM CEST

Tony

I don’t think any article that quotes Diane Abbott should be taken seriously

Posted on 8/24/17 | 9:27 PM CEST

wow

@Feet

All the ‘europeans’ on here actually live in the UK!

It’s quite funny.

I laugh every day.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 9:48 PM CEST

Sm

@feet

What you waiting for then?

Posted on 8/24/17 | 9:54 PM CEST

Angry bricklayer

Excellent ,pay rise on the way.

Posted on 8/24/17 | 10:51 PM CEST

Feet

Angry bricklayer: Sorry, mate – but you can’t do what I do, so no automatic pay rise for you!

Posted on 8/25/17 | 12:02 AM CEST

streaky

Nothing like a good old fashioned hyper-literal word twisting argument to start the day. Yes, the exact problem is the AREN’T emigrants, they’re not here to contribute to the long-term effectiveness or competitiveness of the UK economy; quickly run out the door when propagandists from the lib dem camp start spreading FUD. Anybody that is so easily swayed by nonsense arguments about things that aren’t settled knowing full well they’ll have naturalised citizenship status isn’t planning to stay long term anyway so.. who cares.

Your word twisting isn’t a counter-argument it underlines the problem with immigration into the UK from the EU. It doesn’t benefit the UK economy which is the exact point of immigration – anything else is wealth redistribution by another name and if that’s what its supposed to be the EU should be honest about it.

Posted on 8/25/17 | 11:03 AM CEST

sgu66

The usual manner of inclusion for the official stats is those individuals entering the UK for greater than 12 months in duration; this approach is how a number of countries approach this type of assessment. Within the UK it has been argued that students should be taken out of the “equation” and that this would allow the “target” figure of migration under the 100,000 to be met – the reason always provided by the UK Government is that to do so would not meet international standards.

By the way, the term immigrant and emigrant are not terms created by the UK Government, but are definitions used internationally to show in and out flow of individuals to/from a country.

What is interesting is that this story does not highlight if there has been any increase in the number of UK nationals leaving the UK for what-ever reason, as this too impacts on the total migration figure.

Nor does the story prove or disprove if the reason for the visit is due to increased activity by the Home Office, though I suspect that @Chris has identified the main reason for departure, though obviously most will infer that it is purely due to people no longer feeling welcome as the UK people are all so xenophobic (which has been highlighted numerous times by others who fail to see the irony!). However, keep a close eye on France over the next few years to see how the new world plays out there – especially if there is more of an impact on low-skilled work as the French workers and Unions tend to have a more effective and quicker way of highlighting their concern than the British.